Lewisham Council has recently changed the way in which parking permits can be obtained. Residents can no longer pay cash in shops and post offices, but instead must apply online or over the telephone on a 0845 premium number.

One elderly lady was left without a carer for twelve days and another lady has been fined having made a "slight error" with the online system. A council motion to bring back cash payments was rejected.


Catford 'kick-ass' granny without carer for 12 days after Lewisham parking permit changes - News Shopper | Tuesday 13th August 2013

Lewisham's elderly left lonely and trapped in homes after parking permits move online - News Shopper | Monday 7th October 2013

This comes at a time when councils such as the one in Fife are making the change to 03 numbers...

http://www.fifedirect.org.uk/03

Dave wrote on Oct 10^th, 2013 at 10:26pm:

Lewisham Council has recently changed the way in which parking permits can be obtained. Residents can no longer pay cash in shops and post offices, but instead must apply online or over the telephone on a 0845 premium number. One elderly lady was left without a carer for twelve days and another lady has been fined having made a "slight error" with the online system. A council motion to bring back cash payments was rejected. Catford 'kick-ass' granny without carer for 12 days after Lewisham parking permit changes - News Shopper | Tuesday 13th August 2013 Lewisham's elderly left lonely and trapped in homes after parking permits move online - News Shopper | Monday 7th October 2013

Good Morning All,

This is at least ONE subject I can personally relate to...

Lewisham Council have sub-contracted their parking to NSL Services Limited who use an 0845 Number.

They in turn use Ring Go to actually "deliver" the parking permits.

I only know this because I had reason to require a parking permit, in the Lewisham area. Suffice to say, I never got one.  I have given a large amount of feedback to Lewisham Council and NSL Services over the parking arrangements in Lewisham.  All to no avail.

On a side note NSL Service also handle the parking for my local area's covered by East Sussex County Council.  Whilst the council uses an 0345 number NSL uses yet another 0845 number.

They are an utter disgrace!

>:(

CJT-80 wrote on Oct 11^th, 2013 at 10:38am:

On a side note NSL Service also handle the parking for my local area's covered by East Sussex County Council.  Whilst the council uses an 0345 number NSL uses yet another 0845 number. They are an utter disgrace! >:(

And NSL uses a 0844 number for general contact. It claims that "Calls will be charged at never more than 5p per minute from BT landlines."

But the cost of ringing the number from BT is 5.105 pence per minute plus a call set-up fee of up to 15 pence. The price BT charges is the lowest as it isn't allowed to add its own Access Charge.

Dave,

it looks like it's been amended.....

Have another look on that page...

"Calls will be charged at no more than 5.105p per minute, with a 15p connection fee from BT landlines. Calls from mobile phones and other landline providers may vary"

The incorrect wording is further down that same page. It's still there.

Ian G wrote on Oct 11^th, 2013 at 5:01pm:

The incorrect wording is further down that same page. It's still there.

Apologies Ian,

I had not looked further down the page..

:(

Lewisham Council should take note of what has happened in Carlisle in the last couple of weeks.

http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1382443866


Additionally, Shropshire Council has useful information on their website at:

http://shropshire.gov.uk/customer-service/how-to-contact-us/the-cost-of-calling-0345-numbers/

as has the NI Direct website:

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/the-cost-of-contacting-08-and-03-telephone-numbers

Looks like common sense is about to prevail:

http://archive.is/Z7FYJ

(Time Zone on message is West Coast US)

Ian G wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2013 at 8:54pm:

Looks like common sense is about to prevail: http://archive.is/Z7FYJ (Time Zone on message is West Coast US)

I have tweeted the Councillor to find out if it IS happening...

Lewisham Council closed the parking shop when they reverted the contract to NSL Services....

According to
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/parking/permits/Pages/default.aspx
the NSL-run 0845 218 5248 telephone number has been changed to 020 8787 5397.

Ian G wrote on Oct 27^th, 2013 at 11:53am:

According to http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/parking/permits/Pages/default.aspx the NSL-run 0845 218 5248 telephone number has been changed to 020 8787 5397.

Both these numbers go through to the same IVR.  :-?

Dave wrote on Oct 27^th, 2013 at 5:19pm:

Ian G wrote on Oct 27th, 2013 at 11:53am: According to http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/parking/permits/Pages/default.aspx the NSL-run 0845 218 5248 telephone number has been changed to 020 8787 5397. Both these numbers go through to the same IVR.  :-?

Typical NSL Services... but at least it has been amended.... lets hope they have improved on the service..

I understand from an Tweet from a Local Councillor that they are also going to make the Parking Permits available from the Library...

Sorry to resurrect this old thread..

Lewisham Council, and NSL Parking Services are still displaying an 0845 number despite an 020 number having the same IVR options as above, as noted in 2013!

As it turns out, they are my local council, so it's time to give them a poke and see what they are going to do about it!

There was a huge battle a few months ago to get Bury Metropolitan Borough Council to get NSL in their area to change their number. Bury are again in the spotlight as they have been found to have other 084 or 087 numbers that have not been changed.

This was featured on BBC Radio 4 "You and Yours" yesterday... http://www.fairtelecoms.org.uk/radio.html?226

NSL have similar 084 payment services numbers in use for several other councils, including Lewisham.

There are dozens of other councils still using 084 or 087 numbers. Most of these are run by Capita and other outsourcing companies. See http://www.fairtelecoms.org.uk/docs.html?lapaylines

These should all be changed. The simplest option, especially in terms of promoting the change is to move to the matching 034 number.